


The act of Making Noise

by miusmius, tinmiss1939



Series: DBH Mafia AU [5]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alive Cole Anderson, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, And Carl is A Troll, Cole embarrassing his big brothers gives me life, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Twins, Connor uses fast talking charm to mask shame and self-loathing, F/M, Mafia AU, Nines blushes a lot, OT3, Polyamory, RK900 is awkward and anxious rather than cold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 18:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19278739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miusmius/pseuds/miusmius, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinmiss1939/pseuds/tinmiss1939
Summary: Mr. Hank Anderson’s annual charity gala was the ultimate social event for Detroit’s very wealthy elite, who gleefully ignore his 'family business' while drinking his champange.  His adopted sons, Connor and Richard, were usually the most eligible bachelors and the stars of the night whether they liked it or not.  The event raised insane amounts of cash for keeping kids out of the foster system, so they put up with it.This year, the brothers think the gala is a perfect opportunity to give their girlfriend a fairy tale night and to officially announce their relationship to the Detroit social scene.  Ona wishes it could be that simple.They probably should have listened to her.





	The act of Making Noise

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> This was originally prompted over tumblr, about me writing absolute filth about our mafia boys and my girl Ona and ending in a smutty threesome. Let's say plot got in the way and developed way much more than I originally planned. 
> 
> But oh well! Enjoy some character interaction and development as I continue this quest to the smut part.
> 
> And I also want to thank my friend @Tinmiss1939 for being an awesome beta, partner in crime and providing the best ideas ever. This wouldn't be possible with you around :_)

She would have never expected to attend a charity gala ball, something that you only saw in movies and on TV. But life was full of surprises, even more when she started officially dating the two eldest sons of Mr. Anderson, head of the most important Crime Family of the state. If someone came to tell her this news, she would have laughed and told the person that it was quite unlikely, that she would never end up mixed with the high and powerful people.

Yet, there she was, laughing on a dance floor full of Detroit’s best and brightest, her heart full as Connor gracefully spun her and passed her hand to Richard.

Mr. Anderson hosted a gala full of very wealthy and important people willing to donate large sums of money for at-risk children, helping them and their families with counseling, parenting classes, and microloans during financial struggles. Hank always had a soft spot for children, and after Connor and Richard’s case, he didn’t want any kid to be apart from an otherwise good family that had a temporary setback. It was a corrupt system, especially at _Mayor Stern’s_ claws. He saw what she did. No kid should have such a fate.

To be honest, in this whole charity gala a few only really cared, the others doing it for the public’s opinion and view. Hank Anderson detested those morons and made sure they would drop quite a lot of money. He was not stupid, as this helped his own image too, but he actually believed in the good they could do. When he voiced his thoughts to his sons, all three agreed that it would be nice and quite helpful, even though Cole wasn’t all too thrilled as he would be bored out of his mind. He hated adult parties.

 

A few days prior to that event, Hank called his sons to his office.

“Boys,” Hank began, having his elder sons attention, as Cole already tuned out and went to inspect his father’s books, “you can bring a plus one to the event.” That made the brothers perk up and straighten their backs, hearts pounding on their chests. “I guess it’s time for the public to know, don’t you think?”

Cole snorted in the background. It was time indeed. Almost the entire school knew about it already and news traveled fast. There are a lot of gossips around.

“Thank you, father,” they said at the same time, twin smiles on their lips.

“C’mon, go on,” Hank shooed them out of his office, amused. “And Cole, put that book back to its place.”

Cole groaned, hoping his father wouldn’t notice him sneaking one of his horror themed books.

 

So yes, they were absolutely thrilled at the prospect of pampering and showering her with attention through the entire night. Ona blushed and stuttered when they asked her, holding her face in her hands, her heart pounding. This meant everyone would know who she was and would meet a few hard stares and judgement for sure.

She accepted.

When the brothers came to pick up Cole the next day, twin smiles on their faces, Ona couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with them. She loved it when they smiled, but… what were they planning? They quickly dissuaded her worries, not wanting to spoil anything. Frowning, Ona took the bus home and was stopped by the concierge, saying that she had a few packages waiting for her. She was confused. She didn’t order anything these past weeks. When he told Ona who the sender was, the confusion was gone. Oh, so this is why they were so giddy this afternoon.

She thanked the concierge and took the bulky packages with her. While she stood in the elevator she could smell the expensive perfume emanating from them. Now she was intrigued, what could they have possibly bought? It smelled expensive, which she always felt a little guilty about but she knew the brothers would ignore and dismiss her flustered protests.  

She had absolutely no clue what occasioned this gift. The fragrance was her only hint so far, as the shapes didn’t give away anything.  Sometimes they could be quite the tricksters—scratch that, _Connor_ was the trickster. Ona almost ran to set the mysterious packages on the living room table, her imagination running wild with possibilities. She was eager to see what was inside.

Honestly?  She was not ready for _this_.

This was a beautiful dress perfectly folded, so soft to the touch. She couldn’t utter a word for when she saw where it was from she almost fell on her ass. That was one of the most expensive fashion houses on earth and she was touching a damn dress by them. _Holy shit_ . Ona carefully picked it up, her jaw almost to the floor. She had to put it on. But at the same time she was afraid of accidentally tearing it or dirtying it or–– but she _had_ to put it on. So she did.

Ona took the dress to her bedroom where the large mirror was and gently left it on top of the bed, still not believing what her eyes were seeing. She hastily took off her clothes, letting them fall carelessly on the floor in her impatience. Ona took the dress in her hands again, putting one foot and then the other in the utmost care. It felt like the softest of caresses on her skin, the fabric kissing every inch it touched. She pulled the zipper, righted it and dusted off the wrinkles. Ona finally set her eyes on the figure on the mirror.

Wow.

It was as if the midnight sky decided to drape itself over her body, its stars shining bright in a beautiful gradient. The neckline was a cute v-shape, crossing one over the other to accentuate the shape of her waist and hips, and ending just in its perfect place to show the right amount of skin. The straps divided themselves at the top of her shoulders into two thin straps each, showing off her back. The side of the dress skirt opened mid-thigh to reveal the sun-kissed skin of her leg. It was so beautiful she almost didn’t recognise herself in the reflection.

It fit like a glove and she knew that this was the brothers doing, as they never let a tiny detail escape their sights. If the big package was a dress, Ona had a slight idea for what the other might be. And she was right the moment she opened it to find a pair of the most beautiful high-heels that went perfectly with the dress, and a matching purse. They didn’t feel uncomfortable or hurt, which honestly astounded her. Walking back to the mirror, she spun feeling the skirt go along with the movement. Right now she felt like a princess.

 Ona grabbed her phone, biting her bottom lip.

  


Connor and Richard were back at their father’s mansion, going over some details about a deal they had to close next week. Their phones pinged at the exact same moment, interrupting their father. Hank raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his broad chest, waiting for an answer. Connor and Richard looked at each other, chastitising themselves for forgetting to turn off _Ona’s_ notifications. Hank cleared his throat, still waiting.

They took the phones off their pockets at the same time, unlocking them at the speed of light. The brothers instantly smiled at the message.

 

_ <<LA MADRE QUE OS PARIÓ!!!!!>> _

 

Richard let out a soft laugh, shutting himself up instantly. Their father’s exasperated sigh made him look away in embarrassment. Connor bit his lip, not daring to make a sound.

“You know what,” began Hank, rising up from his chair in his office and grabbing the papers to put them away for the day in his desk drawer. “since your attention will be elsewhere for the rest of the day, and you both know it’s true,” he dissuaded their protests with a single look. He wasn’t their father for nothing, “we will continue this tomorrow morning after you both leave Cole at school. Now go, your girl is waiting.” 

Richard and Connor bowed and practically fled out of the room, hearing their father’s laugh.

  
  


When _The Day_ came, Ona swore her stomach was doing backflips. And not the good ones. She was used to a room full of screaming children, knowing how to herd them into the right direction. But she was not used to a lot of rich and important people looking her up and down, pinning her down as if she was an insect or someone they could use to make a profit. Connor and Richard warned her, even Mr. Ander– _Hank_ , told her there would be quite a lot of sickening vultures ready to feast on her guts. She winced, not happy at the very vivid and explicit image in her head about that. But they were right.

It was still frightening.

She was received by Connor and Richard in the most beautiful tuxedos, perfectly tailored to fit them. Not a hair from _Fuzzinator_ or Sumo on them, not a spot or trace of dust, nothing. Perfectly pressed, not a wrinkle. Dear God, they were such a sight... Ona had to swallow a whimper because they had no right to look this damn good and she had to endure it the entire evening. They were _cruel_. Connor and Richard were patiently waiting by the black car, shining as if it has been just bought. Connor’s lips curled in a pleased grin while Richard looked like his air was punched out of his lungs, staring at her form with a dazed sigh.

Ona took a few steps ahead, spinning on her heels to show the dress off to them. The skirt flew alongside her body, creating a bewitching effect. The boys were not immune.

“So? How do I look?”

“Absolutely perfect, sunshine,” Connor took her hand, gently pulling her closer.

“I knew it would fit you so well,” added Richard, caressing her cheek with the most care in the world, as if she would shatter in his hands.

Ona got in the car with a furious blush that would take a while to go down. The brothers sat on either side of her, effectively trapping her with their bodies. Connor traced her arm with his finger, lightly tickling her, while Richard toyed with her hand in his bigger ones. They sped up to the wealthier parts of Detroit, big houses with immense gardens on either side of the windows. They met Hank and Cole’s car halfway, their father’s car going first. They were arriving, as the cars were forming a slight line as they dropped their passengers.

Her heart was threatening to run away from this all.

“You will be just fine, my love.” Connor kissed her head while Richard squeezed her hand.

“It’s just…I feel like this is an Oscar Ceremony or something and I just weaseled my way here. I feel out of place. Oh my God,” she took a deep breath, trying to swallow this last minute panic that resurfaced as they were getting closer to the entrance.

The people outside seemed so at ease with this whole thing, as if it was just another party where everything didn’t cost a fortune. She was used to the other parties, to the _“let’s get our hands dirty in the food making and please bring a chair because I haven’t got more, yes I know I should go to Ikea but–”_ , the loud, cozy parties, singing out loud to songs they all knew while she played her mother’s guitar, accompanied with claps and improvised drums, cold beer and cigarette butts in empty cans…

“I know this isn’t what you’re used to, that this… _world_ is something brand new for you to experience. I won’t lie to you. It’s a very hypocritical world where everyone wants something from everyone,” Connor made her look at his eyes, holding her face in his hands. “But there are a few good people in that snobby masses that you will meet tonight, and I assure you those good people are genuine.”

“Carl and Markus Manfred are good people,” followed Richard, making her turn her head to him, “They do not tolerate hyenas near them. You’ll like them.” His small smile calmed her down a bit.

“We will not leave you alone and you have Father and Cole too, okay?”

“Okay.”

People turned at the very sight of Mr. Anderson’s car. He emerged with his youngest son, greeting and smiling at the photographers. Hank and Cole waited for the second car.

Ona gulped. This is it. Before exiting the car, Connor turned back and winked at her, dialing up his charm to make Ona smile. The crowd outside turned their attention on him, waiting to see the other son, but they were not expecting a young woman to appear instead. The photographers went wild, trying to get the best picture of this new face. Connor offered his hand, helping her get out. Richard followed them close, his presence behind her acting as a shield.

Whispers could be heard, wondering who she was. Her face and dress were analyzed with pointed stares and curious eyes. There were rumours about a possible affair but the society and style reporters didn’t think the brothers were serious about her or that they would bring the lady to the most important gala of the season. So it was true. Interesting.

Hank embraced his sons, patting their backs with his massive hands. Then he took Ona’s hand, kissing it. More camera flashes. “Don’t you look lovely tonight? I’m glad you could make it, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, Mr. Anderson. And thank you for inviting me.”

Hank let out a short but amused laugh.  “Please sweetheart, call me Hank, you’re not a stranger. But between you and me,” he leaned in as if what he was about to say was a secret, but did not bother to hide it, “I would have had to endure an entire evening with those two wearing the most heartbreaking puppy stares and resentful looks if I didn’t. Plus, I can’t wait to see Mrs. Walker and her daughter’s irritated faces when they realize that my boys are taken by this very intelligent and beautiful woman.” He let out a mischievous grin.

Ona let herself smile, not being able to resist it.  “I didn’t know you had to resort to such tricks, Mr. Ander–– _Hank,_ ” she teased him.

“What can I say, sweetheart. I am a father after all.” Hank winked, nudging everybody to move. Cole briefly greeted Ona, glad he could talk to someone other than his father and brothers. He looked adorable with his suit and bow tie.

 

The evening looked more promising even if anxiety still gnawed at her, knowing how everyone looked at them and hearing whispers whenever they went. But as Hank said, seeing Mrs. Walker and her daughter’s faces when they introduced Ona as their girlfriend was _priceless_ . The indignant stares, feeling betrayed that a nobody managed to snatch not one Anderson son, but two? _Shameful!_ They left to be seated at their designated table, a  muttered “greedy slut” stinging Ona’s ears as they left. It was obvious they now considered her their enemy, the target of sneers and aggressive jabs. She was a nobody; she didn’t belong here. She had no power or money or influence and they would make sure to remind her at any given opportunity.

It hurt, of course it did. Nobody liked to be pointed at or have their face rubbed the fact that they were an outsider. But still, Ona held her head high and tried not to think too much about it, for they were blinded by jealousy and envy. She did belong, as she was now part of the Anderson family. Even if she was still coming to terms with how her life was going to change, she knew she wouldn’t be alone and that both brothers and Hank wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

Hank would make sure Mrs. Walker’s husband donated a tiny bit more than they expected; Connor and Richard had very keen ears and absolutely did hear that. Nobody would say such things about her and walk away as if nothing happened. Disrespecting her was disrespecting them, and such actions had consequences.

The butterflies in her stomach were persistent and the glass of champagne did not help them go away. Ona was introduced to more people she could remember, shaking hands and exchanging smiles. She recognised some names though, as some were big investors on the city or held important positions, and she saw from the corner of her eye how more and more people looked their way to see if they could get a glimpse of the fresh blood. Connor and Richard never left her side, true to their word. Richard had one hand on Ona’s exposed lower back, his warmth comforting, while Connor caressed her nape affectionately. They would murmur gentle encouraging words in her ear, for she was doing so good, she was so brave.

Ona was in the middle of a very strange-looking but delicious canapé Connor had brought her when a voice, roughened by the passing of the years, spoke behind them.

“Ah! At last, the infamous school teacher.” It held a mirth in it that sounded genuine. Huh.

Ona turned around just to choke quite ungracefully on the small bite when she saw who the voice belonged to. Richard ushered her to take a sip of her glass and gently rubbed her back, concerned. Embarrassment was written all over her face, cursing herself internally for giving such a poor first impression. And to _him_. The man laughed, while his handsome young companion offered a handkerchief. The younger man had mismatched eyes, one blue and the other green. It was hypnotic to look at them, each one shining brightly like two polished gems.

“I get all sorts of reactions, but this one is a first. I’m sorry, I did not mean to startle you like that.” He wheeled a little bit closer.

“You’re Carl Manfred.” Ona replied, almost a whisper. Then she could hear her mother’s voice in hear head chastising her: _manners!_ “Ah, sorry! That was very rude of me. I’m Ona Boix.” They shook hands, Carl letting out an amused chuckle. 

“Yes I am, the one and only. This is my son, Markus. My other son Leo is here too, somewhere, probably at the bar.”

“A pleasure, Miss.” Markus shook her hand, a small smile on his lips reaching his eyes. She smiled back, thanking him for his handkerchief.

“I–It’s an honour, sir. I’m a huge fan of your works, especially the portraits.” Ona never knew what made her spit _that_ out—it was such a pathetic, fangirl thing to say—but it was one of a lifetime opportunity to voice her admiration towards the artist.

Markus took his cue to greet the brothers, embracing and patting their backs in a friendly manner while leaving his father chatting with Ona.

“I see you didn’t chicken out and actually brought her here,” Markus said.

“Shush, not you too.” Connor groaned.

“So, a teacher!” Carl interrupted their banter, knowing Markus would tease them a bit more. “What do you teach, then?”

“Ah, yes! English and art.”

“Oh! Art!” Carl looked at the brothers, raising his eyebrows in a pleased surprise. “You chose the right one,” he said. He looked back at Ona, who let out a shy laugh. “It also explains why you recognized my name and choked on that _dangerous_ bite of the appetizer.”

“Oh my God, please, don’t remind me.” She covered her face with her free hand, her cheeks like two burning suns.

“Too late, my dear. It was also amusing to see Richard ready to punch the caterer because a tiny crumb of toasted bread dared to choke you.” Now it was Richard’s turn to sputter in embarrassment. Was he that obvious?

“Dad, stop or he’s going to set himself on fire,” Markus said. He looked at Richard with a smug smile, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You can’t blame me! He makes it too easy.”

Ona let out a tiny chuckle. Carl was right, it was very easy to make Richard blush and it was something _adorable_. How could ‘adorable’ fit Richard? It was a complete mystery, but she would never complain about it.

“You haven’t seen Connor lose his _smoothness_ , then,” a very young voice spoke behind the group.

“Look who do we have here!” Carl opened up his arms so Cole could give him a big hug. “Haven’t you grown, young man! I see you’re sharp as your father.”

Cole grinned.

“You will _not_ believe what they did once in the school’s Field Day. They–”

“Shut it, gremlin!” Connor wanted the ground to swallow him right this instant, vividly remembering that day. It wasn’t one of his proudest moments.

“Oooh, this is good!” Carl ignored Connor’s protests, looking at Cole with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “What did they do?”

“Well, for starters, Richard went to Connor for fashion help. And Connor, as the good big brother he is, actually helped him choose the tightest, most fitted t-shirt he owned.  The entire PTA followed him around all day. They were making up excuses to touch him, asking to lift coolers and move tables. Miss Brooks wrote her number on his arm on Sharpie before Miss Boix chased her away. It didn’t come off for a week!” Cole heard Richard make some unintelligible noises.

Markus snickered, eyeing him.

“Well, it is known for a fact I got a better fashion sense than Terminator here.” Connor defended himself, nodding at Richard’s direction.

“...What’s wrong with turtlenecks,” muttered Richard, feeling self conscious of his wardrobe. It wasn’t that bad, was it?

“But! That’s not everything!” continued Cole, enjoying this little moment of embarrassing his big brothers. “There was this ‘parents versus parents’ flag football match. Papa wasn’t up to play, so Connor and Richard went instead.”

“Even Connor? Didn’t know you were _so_ interested in sports.” Markus raised an eyebrow, a grin on his lips.

“Oi, they were one person short! So why not help?”

“Even if half of that is true, you know that is not the reason why you decided to get your _Louis Vuitton_ tennis shoes dirty,” replied Cole with a deadpan stare. Connor swore he was so alike his goddamn father.

Ona gasped.  “Those shoes were Louis Vuitton? But they ended up–”

“...It was worth it.” Connor drowned his words with some champagne. It had been an _outfit_.  Those track pants only went with the Vuittons, and his ass looked great in those track pants.  If he had to sacrifice his Louis Vuitton for Ona to appreciate his ass in those trousers… so be it. Richard took his own guns out, Connor would do the same with his own ‘assets.’

“Oh, but that’s not all!” Cole looked at Richard. He gulped, knowing what was coming. “Let’s not forget how Richard here tackled one of the dads to the ground.”

Carl roared with laughter, much to Richard’s embarrassment. Markus joined in, looking at the twins and their distressed faces. They did not like being exposed like this, not at all. Connor and Richard always had this reputation preceding them, these two very dangerous men with so much power in their hands, and for their mishaps being told… it wasn’t pleasant. Even more when they were trying to show off like two peacocks in the presence of their sunshine and it backfired greatly. Connor and Richard really did not mean to make a fool of themselves.

“In my defense, I will say Mr. Harrington deserved it.” Richard crossed his arms, looking sideways. He reminded Ona of one of her students when they knew they did something wrong but in their head it was more than justified.

Ona agreed that Mr. Harrington did deserve it, though. She was tired of calling his son out to leave Cole and other classmates alone. Ona lost count of how many times she had to call his parents because he started a fight again, he called _names_ to other students (surely the kid parroted what he heard at home), his attitude towards teachers and students alike was not okay… The list could go on and on. Sadly, he thought that because of his father, he could do anything he wanted, and Mr.Harrington let him grow into a spoiled brat with too much money. Their mother did not care a single damn about it. She was more busy trying to be the nº1 PTA mom. It was the typical New Rich People drama. Ona was not happy it extended to her class, though. 

So, nobody could really blame her if she smiled when he saw the family being a little bit furious, to put it mildly, and cheered harder for Connor and Richard’s team. Cole was in the bleachers with her, cold drinks in their hands, and laughing so hard his sides hurt. Hank joined him, his whole body shaking as he roared in laughter.

“Yeah, it was awesome though. Seeing him covered in dirt in his _‘very expensive clothes, you dipshit!’_ , was very, very awesome.” Cole smiled appreciatively at his big brother. He tried not to talk bad about anyone, but he was still a kid and he got fed up sometimes.

And he also knew how much influence his father had, he was not stupid. Even if they tried to shield Cole from the real nature of the family business until he was deemed ready, he was a smart kid. He heard _things_ sometimes. Cole knew his father could pulverise stupid Anthony Harrington and his dad anytime. It brought a smug smile whenever the idiot flaunted how important they were and how the other classmates weren’t.

“It did work, didn’t it?” Carl had a complacent smile, looking at Ona. “You somehow managed to woo her, considering your disastrous strutting.”

“Oh, shut up!” Connor looked for another glass of champagne. It was too early to be roasted like this and he too sober to endure it.

“It was endearing, though.” Ona piped up, hiding her tiny smile with a sip of her glass.

Markus chuckled.

“If she fell for your catastrophic courting, you got yourselves _The One_.”

“It wasn’t that bad? Well, sometimes it was but… the effort was cute? And they were very thoughtful, always!” Ona felt she had to defend their honor a tiny bit.

Connor’s ears were red. That was Richard’s speciality, but they managed to make Connor blush in embarrassment. He did not like it. The tinkling sound of a glass being tapped with a spoon and a microphone being switched on gathered everyone’s attention.

“C’mon, it’s time for the toast.” Connor practically dragged Cole with him, fuming after being exposed like that. By his own little brother! He could hear Ona’s sweet laugh behind them.

“I can’t believe you two did that!” Ona linked her arm with Richard’s, following Connor and Cole. Richard was looking at his feet, cheeks so red that even the tips of his ears were brightly coloured, just like Connor’s.

He opted not to respond and walked behind his brothers. Markus and Carl followed them behind, chuckling to themselves while sharing amused stares.

 

The toast took place on the center of the wide hall, right on the ornate stairs. People murmured, expectation on their faces while sipping on their glasses. Hank hated being in the spotlight; hated having everyone’s attention focused on him. These people were like hawks, waiting for a slip to go after his flesh and bones. So, obviously, having to do the opening speech for the toast wasn’t his favourite activity. He just wanted to go back to drink and eat in peace, thank you. But he had to. And most importantly, he had to be _amicable_ to a certain someone.

But with a false smile, he asked for everyone’s attention. His voice made everyone silent, like a low and pleasant rumble, but holding authority like no other. He welcomed everyone in the gala and thanked their attendance and donations to the cause. Hank went on, knowing his public wanted to have their feathers stroked and praised. A few more jokes, a few more memorised lines, and he could give the microphone to the keynote speaker and get himself back to the bar.

But said person was nowhere in sight. Frowning, Hank glanced at the party planner with a look that struck fear into the toughest of men. The man in question ran to his side, gulping, because he knew he was oh so fired.

“Oh, Mr. Anderson! Please excuse this little set-back. It seems our guest had a last minute cancellation due to personal reasons. But I found someone even better who is willing to make a speech!” The idiot party planner handed him an index card with a hastily scrawled out introduction speech.

Hank didn’t like this. He didn’t like this at all.  Just seeing that name made his skin crawl, but he was in it now.  Hank just hoped his boys would forgive him later.

With his teeth grinding in disgust, Hank introduced them.

“Without further ado, I will pass the microphone to the mayor of our beloved city of Detroit, Amanda Stern, who has a few words she wants to share with us.”

An applause accompanied Hank’s retreat from the spotlight, tight smile and eyes burning with hate, and Amanda took his place. She had a self-satisfied smile, scanning the crowd until she found what she was looking for. She smiled wider.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour to be here with all of you tonight, especially for such a good cause. It is so important to help our at-risk children early in their development--the sooner the better. Early childhood interventions have benefits across a lifetime, so this gala is–”

Ona first noticed how neither Connor or Richard moved their hands; they had spent all night holding her hand, playing with her hair, fixing her necklace or playing with her bracelet. Their whole bodies had become uncomfortably rigid. She chanced a look, horrified by their  sudden paleness. The grip on their glasses was far too tight and Ona feared they would snap under their hands. 

_Amanda Stern._

Both brothers stood there frozen in pure and absolute terror. Cold sweat ran on their backs, trying so hard and in vain to control their breathing so their hearts wouldn’t burst out of their chests at any given moment. Bile rose on their throats at the same time they felt a knot form on their stomachs.

As _she_ kept talking, they both were less aware of their surroundings. Connor and Richard stood there, rooted in place, as memories came back.

 

Heat, fire, screams, tears, _Amanda_ , hurt, anger, so much anger.

 

Despair.

 

Hopelessness...

 

Saccharine smiles, eyes devoid of kindness, _Amanda_ , hearts beating wildly, scared, scared, _scared–_

 

A thunderous applause took them off their reveries, inhaling sharply for air as their lungs burned with the need of oxygen. People smiled, cheered, raised their glasses and took the mandatory sip. Connor and Richard remained in their place, limbs frozen. Their panicked stares made Ona worry and fear whoever was the one who installed such fear in their hearts.

One of the waiters passed by with a tray with some glasses and Ona immediately left her half full glass there, quickly plucking the brother’s ones from their hands to do the same. They did not move, which made Ona worry even more. 

Ona gently touched their arms, not knowing if her touch was welcome or if it would trigger something. Seeing they remained rooted, she gently coaxed them with a slight tug on their arms. Her voice broke them of their panicked state.

“I think I could need some fresh air. Do you want to come with me?”

Connor and Richard let themselves be pulled away from the crowd and Amanda’s gaze. They could still feel it on them, like frozen claws piercing their skin. Amanda was not happy they were pulled away by that girl, but she could always go find them sooner or later. She was not done.

Ona led them through the garden gates and went far away from the noise and lights. Once she deemed it safe, she made them both sit on one of the stone benches. They looked so vulnerable right now it tore Ona’s heart apart. Connor was not sporting his self-assured, cocky attitude or Richard his proud and strong stance. They looked like lost children, not knowing what to do or how to make themselves smaller.

Not wanting to startle them, Ona knelt on the floor, not caring if the dress got dirty. There were priorities right now.

“Can I sit with you?”

Connor nodded, Richard moving to make a little bit of room. She rose and carefully sat down between them.

“Can I touch you?”

Richard nodded, letting out a trembling breath. Ona took their hands in hers, gently caressing their knuckles.

“Do you want to talk?”

Connor’s broken and quivering voice shredded her heart.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to, okay?” Ona smiled, squeezing a little bit their hands in reassurance. “But I want you both to know that I’m here, okay?”

“Okay.”

“It’s just–” Richard began and stopped abruptly, not knowing if to go on or swallow his pain.

“If you don’t feel ready to tell me, it’s okay. I won’t pressure you into talking. I just want to help you both.”

“I know. I know, I’m sorry–”

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for.” Ona heard Connor let out a shaky breath, whole body trembling. She turned to look at him and felt a pang of sadness inside of her.

He was looking at the floor, lost and tear tracks visible on his cheeks.

“You both always say you’re going to be there for me and protect me, care for me, but,” she raised their hands to her mouth, gently kissing them, “I will, too. I will care and protect and cherish you both. You are not alone.”

Connor let out a wet chuckle, letting his head fall on hers. Richard did the same, his other hand running up and down her arm while he let himself be wrapped around her warmth and presence.

“She was our family court judge.  The social workers didn’t matter. She took an interest in us after the fire and from then on, she was the one who held all the power over us,” murmured Richard.

Ona did not dare to interrupt. If they wanted to open up, she wouldn’t stop them.

Connor picked up where Richard left off, saying, “She decided whether we were good or bad, whether we _deserved_ to be out of the system or go to another wilderness therapy program or residential facility.  We were supposed to be _good little boys_.” Connor’s voice was coated with venom, as if the words he said burned him. “We were her experiment, her ‘side project.’”

“She made sure nobody would adopt us,” Richard said, looking into the distance but not appearing to see anything. “Something was always wrong. One day the petitions stopped coming. We went from foster home to foster home.”

“She always had that nauseating smile. Again and again, she would always say ‘No.’” Connor’s grip on Ona’s hand tightened. “Always with that repulsive smile.”

Ona understood a lot of things now. Connor and Richard weren’t perfect, she was well aware of it, and it was more than obvious that their past haunted them. She now understood more of their need to be perfectly good, their need to excel in any given task, and why they took their own failures so bad and hard. They knew no grey, only black or white.

Music resumed and laughter could be heard in the distance, the party continuing. The three of them ignored it all, sitting in their own little cocoon.

“It wasn’t your fault. It never was your fault, you hear?” Ona always tried to not let anger consume her, to keep a clear head, but she would be lying if right now she wouldn’t love to march inside and drag Amanda Stern by her hair and deliver a solid punch to her face.

It seems Richard started rubbing off on her.

“I don’t know the exact details, and you don’t need to tell me if you really do not want to, but she did not succeed on her fucked up quest.” Ona released their hands to put them on each head, caressing their napes affectionately, as if grounding them to this exact moment with her. “You are loved. You have a family. A doting father, a smart and kind little brother and you…and you have me. Me and Jordi and your friends and Tina, and–”

Both brothers leaned on her again, their heads carefully resting on hers. They let out a sigh, her hands helping them relax a tiny bit. This was a big issue, but she would be by their side no matter what. The three of them fell into a comfortable silence, Ona’s hands still caressing the boy’s necks.

“You are not what Amanda made you believe you were all these years.” Ona squeezed her hands lightly, reassuring them.

 

They let the music fill the moment.  The burdens of their past were not lifted entirely, but their hearts felt a tiny bit lighter.

**Author's Note:**

> YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THE ANGST, HUH?
> 
> ME NEITHER.


End file.
